ICW is honoured and proud to be the only international network which strives to share with the global community the experiences, views and contributions of 19 million incredible women worldwide, who are also HIV positive.

ICW has been through a difficult period in the last year. There has been considerable disagreement within the governance bodies and staff group over the future direction of the charity.

Following discussions between the UK trustees, staff and the International Steering Committee, and taking on board the recommendations of external evaluations, it appears that the option that is likely to receive the greatest degree of unanimity amongst the governance bodies, staff and members, is to wind down the operations of the International Support Office in the UK.

We the trustees of ICW UK have now passed a resolution to wind up the UK charity, and its operations will be brought to an end over the next month. The International Support Office in London will be closed from 1st December 2009.

If you are not an ICW Member but are a Friend of ICW, and would like to continue to receive information on the activities of other parts of the ICW network, please also contact your local regional office or International Steering Group member.

The documents and materials that ICW has produced over the years are being collected by former members and staff to be preserved in public archives in the UK, so that they will be available for researchers and other interested parties in the future. More details on where these archives are to be placed will be circulated to members and friends over the coming months.

We would like to wish the new structure success and hope you all find a happy home with them.

Monday October 19th 2009 – Windhoek, Namibia. In 2007 the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS began documenting the forced and coerced sterilization of HIV positive women. This week 3 of the 15 women who have been sterilized by the Namibian government will have their day in court. They are the first of many brave positive women who have stepped forward to fight for their reproductive rights in court.